Starlight & Nightime at Severn River

Day 2 of auto posting camping paintings while we are away camping. These paintings are from a trip to one of our favorite “local” haunts, Sundown National Park.

This one is oil on silver leaf, the texture created by the silver leaf is so interesting to paint on and by using glazes I retain a glow from within, from the silver. Unfortunately that doesn’t show up in the photos, I have never figured out how to photograph this technique well. If anyone has any tips for me I would be very grateful.

This is a pastel on paper of the same scene; it, like many of my unframed pastels, is hiding away in storage under my bed!

Kimberley Sunrise

We are heading off camping for a few days so this is my first experiment with auto posting. I plan to leave you with paintings from previous camping trips for the next few days. This one’s from Wilson Creek in The Kimberley, we were up before dawn and in the boat on a barra fishing adventure. It’s a morning I will never forget with 8 meter tidal shifts, soaring orange cliff faces, hundreds of photos and great company including Jess the wonder dog, our friends tiny little terrier who accompanied us everywhere despite being pregnant! It has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth and I can’t wait to go back.

It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…...

It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…... to be camping again. This painting is from quite near where we will camp next. It’s not the bush or beach self sufficient camping that we enjoy most, but it will be a nice break.

I am hoping I will find lots of inspiration while we are there, as I would really love to be itching to get into a “serious” painting again.

“Twilight” is an oil on silver leaf and is among my favorite landscape works. It is another one of the pieces from my Dusk till Dawn collection.

This is my first ever “It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…” Check out who else is playing along and what they can’t wait for at Buttons by Lou Lou. Thanks Lou Lou for starting this fun little game.

Water, water

Yesterday was such a fun filled, busy day.   Little Guys cousin spent the day with us and he loved it. We visited a beautiful park in the morning; it was so nice having a little helper, I got to take a lot more photos than I would have if it was just Little Guy and I.  His cousin loved keeping him occupied while I was being snap happy.

Little guy was captivated by this waterfall at the park, he just kept looking over the edge saying water, water, he was fascinated and would have stayed for hours. I suppose it nothing to be surprised about his Mum is rather fascinated by waterfalls too. The painting below is one of my largest works, it is called “Cascades” and it hangs in Little Guys toy room. It takes up most of the wall, so I guess it has had an impact on him.

We finished off our day by making chocolate chip cookies and drawing, what a perfect day.

Desert Dawn

I miss this painting. Do you ever miss your creations that you have sent of into the universe?

It was a piece I always knew was for sale and that it wouldn’t stay in my life. It’s funny I divide my work up into categories and there are some that I hope will always be with me, some that I may be able to let go of one day, but only if they go somewhere I know I can visit with them. Then there are paintings like these that are destined for sale. This painting was created for sale, but I was looking through some photos of my work tonight and felt a longing for it just the same.

It was such fun to do, painted with real abandon and it worked out better than I had expected. I know I can’t keep them all, I admire artist who live by a credo of getting rid of the old to make way for the new. A lot of my paintings are of special places we visit and therefore bring back memories of good times and adventures; mostly it is these paintings that I feel a need to keep.

Do you categorize your work into selling/not selling? How do you deal with the longing to keep it all, especially the good pieces? I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips on how you deal with these feelings.

Misty Morning

It’s a misty spring morning here and it is reminding me of many camping mornings waking up blanketed in fog with a delicious chill in the air. I love watching mist rolling down the river and slowly clearing to reveal a fresh, beautiful day. The painting above is from one of those mornings, it was a bit chillier than most and we discovered icicles hanging from leaves! I don’t generally like the cold, but on a morning like this you just add another layer, stoke up the fire and warm your hands on a hot cuppa. It is blissful and I can’t wait for our next camping adventure, they always provide me with inspiration and clear the fog from my mind so I can start fresh.